Table



Aug. 29,1933. u. F. wE'ATHE-.RLY 1,924,223

TABLE Filed ontw. 1, 19:51 2 sheets-sheet 1 ..7"z}.]. f l M V 'VInventor ya /J fianzas' rvjzfawfjv lfomey Patented Aug. 29, 1933 .UNITEDSTATES TABLE r James F. Weatherly, Miami, Fla., assignor to H. G.Higgins, Miami, Fla. i

Application October 1, 1931. Serial No. 566,336r

vClaims.- (Cl. 45-.11)

This invention relates to folding tables and more particularly, to ameans for mounting the supporting legs of the .table and has for anobject, to provide means for so connecting the supporting legs to thetable that they may all be folded against the under side of the tableand are so connected by mechanism so that when the table, with the legsin a folded position is so held as to permit the legs, by their ownweight spring 1o position, the movement of one leg to such a position istransmitted to the remaining legs, thus providing for the automaticoperation of unfolding the table.

It is also an object of this invention to provide means of the characterabove suggested particularly applicable to small and light tables,sometimes referred to as card tables and which will not materiallyaffect the usual weight of such 26- tables.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent froma study of the following description, taken in connection with .theaccompanying drawings, wherein: y

Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of the table showing the legs foldedagainst the under side thereof.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of one corner .portion/ ofV the tablewith the leg shownwin an j unfolded or right angular position withrespect to the table top.

Figure 3 is a-vertical sectional elevational view through one corner ofthe table for more clearly illustrating the particular hinge connectionbetween the table and top thereof.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure 3 showing the hingefrom a relatively opposite side thereof, and with certain parts of thehinge shown in section. 4

Figure 5 is a fragmentary elevational sectional view showing the hingeparts positioned when the table is in a folded position, a portion ofthe hinge being shown in longitudinal section.

Figures 6 and '7 are fragmentary detail sectional elevational viewstaken substantially on the lines,6-6 and 7-7 respectively of Figure 2.

Referring more in detail to the'drawings the table with which thepresent invention `is shown applied, is commonly known as a card tableand includes a top 10, a stiffening and reinforcing frame 11; the tablein the embodiment shown, being substantially square or rectangular andprovided adjacent each corner thereof with a supporting legV 12. Theselegslare each pivoted to the table so as to fold orl swing against theoutwardly -away from the table to an unfolded' under side thereof andthey are -all mounted in the same manner.

Since the means for mounting each leg is the same, and but one set ofdies may be used for making all the mountings, which mountings are Ytheninterchangeable, it is thought that descripupper end is secured in achannel shaped holder 13 which is made of sheet metal and whichreceivesvbetween opposed sides thereof the upper end of the leg, andwhich end gof the leg may be secured in the holder by rivets, bolts orother suitable fastening elements or in any other manner founddesirable. 'Ihe opposite sides of the holder at that .end thereofcorresponding to the upper end of the leg are extended as .at 13a, andthe extended ends '13a are suitably apertured to accommodate a pivotbolt or pin 14l l The leg is mounted by pivoting the extensions 13alin`a bracket 15 which is mounted on the underside of the table.

This bracket is also made of metal, and is substantially U-shaped, beingpreferably formed of two sections 16,y 17 forming the sides and closedend of the U.

Section 17 of the bracket has .one flange thereof offset laterally as at17a and riveted or otherwise secured to and adjacent side of the frame11, and the other flange thereof similarly offset as at 17b and securedto a second side of the` frame as clearly shown.l f l' The secondsection 16 of the bracket for the the U, and at one end the section 16is provided with an angularly disposed flange 16a riveted or otherwisesecured to one flange of the section 17 so thatl the said major portionof the section 16 extends in parallelism to the other of the flanges ofthe section 17 completing the U, and supporting therebetween the pivotedend of the holder 13, the bolt 14 extending through the opposed portionsof the sections 16 and 17.

The free end ofthe bracket section 16 is provided with a laterallydirected apertured lug 18 bolted, riveted or otherwise secured to thetable top 10. At said free end, there is also pivoted to the bracketsection 16, one end of a link 19 that at its relatively opposite end ispivoted as at 20 adjacent one end of a second link 21 pivoted to oneside of the holder 13. The link 2l adjacent the pivot 20 is provided atone edge with a laterally directed channel forming keeper projection 22engageable' with the link 19 when the holder 13 is swung tothe positionshown in Figure 4 whereby Amajor portion of its length forms one side ofalinement, limiting swinging movement of the links relative to oneanother, and serving to prevent casual rotation of the links about thepivots 20 and further aiding the links 19, 21 in providing aneii'icientl brace for the leg 12 when the latter is in the unfolded orextended position.

An actuating -nember or lever 23 is pivoted to the underside-of thetable centrally thereof as at 24 and has radially projecting arms 25'disposed atright angles to each other, and each connected by a'rod orlink 26 to an adjacent link 21. In this connection, it will be notedthat each ,arm 25, which for the purpose of strength` and rigidity ischannel shaped in cross section, is provided `at its outer end with anapertured'projection 25a to which is riveted or otherwise secured as at27 one flange of an-angu1ar lug 28 the other flange of which lug ispivoted as at y29 to a proximate end of a link 26. The other end of thelink 26 is pivoted to a lug or projection 30 formed on the'free end ofthe link 21 and extending in the plane of the link.

One of the arms 25 adjacent the free end thereof has suitably connectedthereto one end of a. coil spring 31, the other end of which coil springis anchored to one flange of the bracket section 17 forming -part of themounting means of an' adjacent table supporting leg 12. (See Figure 2.)

In the operation, and assuming that the legs. are in the folded positionshown in Figure 1, when links 19 and 21 swinging to the position shownand bracing the legs with respect to the table top.

To return the legs to a folded position it is' necessary to merely breakjoints between`the links 19 and 21 of one of the leg mounting means andunder action of the spring 31 the actuating or control lever will rotatein the direction required by the contraction of the spring thus breakingjoint between the links 19 and 21 of the remaining leg mountings causingthe'holders 13 of such mountings to swing to their initial or .foldingpositions paralleling the frame 11 and top Even though I have hereinshown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is tobe understood thatthe same is susceptible of further changes,modifications and improvements coming within the scope of the appendedclaims. Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

. 1.v A folding device for use on tables and other articles of furniturecomprising, with 'a supported member having legs foldably associatedtherewith, an actuating member oscillatably mounted on the supportedmember, and toggle brace links operatively associated with said legs andwith the actuating memberto be simultaneously operated by movement ofsaid actuating member to open the legs as said member is oscillated inone direction and to fold the legs as the member is oscillated in areverse direction, said links being connected and mounted to brace andsupport the legs in the extended opened position directly until one ofthe braces is manually upset and released. v.

2. A folding device for use on tables and other articles of furniturecomprising, with a supported varticles of furniture and fixturescomprising, a

when the legs are in extended supporting posig 1,924,223 to secure thetoggle links 19 and 21 in substantialv member having legs foldablyassociated therewith, an actuating member oscillatably mounted on thesupported member, and having extending arms of channel form, and togglebrace links operatively associated with said legs and with the arms ofthe actuating member to move the legs to opened positions as said memberis oscillated in one direction and to movethe legs to folded positionsas the member is oscillated in a reverse direction, said member andlinks being connected and mounted to retain the legs extended Withoutyother means when brought to the opened position.

3. A folding device for use on tables and other supported member, legsfoldably associated with said supported member to be swung to open andto folded positions, toggle links for each leg, one of said toggle linkshaving its free end moyably connected with a leg and the other of saidlinks having its free end connected substantially with the supportedmember at a point spaced from the leg, said links being adapted to befolded together when the legs are collapsed and `to be extended when thelegs are in extended supporting positions, 'and means to simultaneouslyactuate the links for the several legs to straighten and to break thetoggle joint between said links to thus simultaneously open and closethe several legs.

4. A folding device for use on tables and other articles of furnitureand fixtures comprising, a supported member, legs hingedly associatedwith said supported member to be swung to open and to folded positions,toggle links for each leg, one of said toggle Vlinks having its outerend hingedly connected with a leg and the other of said links having itsouter end connected substantially with the'supported member at a pointspaced from the leg, said links being adapted to be folded together whenthe legs are collapsed and 'to beextended tions, means to simultaneouslyactuate the links for each of the several legs to. straighten and tobreak the pivotal joint between said links to'thus simultaneously openand close the legs, and means normally resiliently urging saidsimultaneous actuating means to move to open the legs.

5. A folding device for use on tables andother articles of furniturecomprising, with a supported member having legs foldably associatedtherewith, an actuating member oscillatably mounted on the supportedmember, substantially centrally between the legs, toggle brace links foreach of said legs Vhaving the outer end of one link pivotally connectedwith aleg and the outer end of the other link connectedv substantiallywith the supported member at a point spaced from the leg, said actuatingmember havn ing a plurality of radially extending arms of substantiallyU-shaped channel form terminating in bearings, and links connected withthe bearing of each of said arms and connected with the toggle linksintermediate the ends connected with the legs and the supported member,said links being connected and mounted to brace and support the 14.*)

legs in the extended opened position directly until one of the braces ismanually upset and released.

6. A folding device for use n tables and other l brace hinged at itscentral Lv connected with a leg and the outer end of the other linkconnected substantially with the su ported member at a point'spaced fromthe leg, said actuating member having -a plurality of radially extendingarms of substantially U-shaped channel form terminating in bearings,links connected with the bearing oi' each of said arms and connectedwith the toggle links intermediate the ends connected with the legs' andthe. supported member, said links being connected and mounted to braceand support the legs in the extended opened 'position directly until oneof the braces is manually upset and released, and a coil springconnected at one end with one oi' the arms oi' the actuating member andat its remaining end anchored substantially on the supported member toexert yielding force to move the actuating member to simultaneouslystraighten said toggle links and consequently open the table legs.

7. In a folding leg table, a table top, legs hinged to the cornersthereof, a brace for each leg, said portion and pivotally connected atits extremities to said table and said leg, a link member connected tothe hinged portion of each brace, and operating means common to saidlink members whereby movement of one of said legs causes a correspondingmovement of the other legs. l

8. In a folding table, depending marginal rim, legs hinged to said tableat the corners thereof, said legs arranged to lay along the sides 'ofsaid table top' contiguous to said marginal rim each with its freeextremity adjacent the hinged end of the leg occupying the adjacent sideof said table top, a brace for each leg, said brace hinged at itscentral portion and pivotally connected at its extremities to said tableand said leg, a link member connected to the hinged portion of eachbrace, and operating means common to said link members whereby movementof one of said legs causes a corresponding movement of the other legs.

JAMES F. WEATHERLY.

a table top including a

